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Length -- 66.0m Breadth -- 14.0m Major re-build -- 1958 Passenger capacity -- 560 (previously 800) (Long term "Lay-up" -- Sunday 4th December 2005 until November 2016) |
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operating the mainly clockwise Upper Lake "Circle" cruises but in summer 2023 will become "on standby" instead |
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| Autumn 2023 | Expected to return to service from the start of the Autumn timetable | |
| 1st July 2023 | Unusually, instead of moving to the "Upper Lake" for the
summer, she is to become the "on standy" ship to cover
breakdowns, etc as
necessary Based on previous years this might well prove to be a more reliable option for the summer timetable - expecting 100% reliability from all seven paddle steamers is probably an unachievable challenge !!! | |
| 14th May 2023 | Took part in the annual pre-season naval parade off-Morges on Sunday 14th May | |
| 22nd April 2023 | From the start of the spring timetable, she took over the 1235 lunch cruise sailing 304 from Geneva to Yvoire as her 'steam' sister PS Savoie had to cover the weekend sailing from Geneva to Lausanne whilst the larger PS Simplon completed an extended overhaul | |
| 29th January 2023 | First sailings of the season After repairs - which caused cancellation of her advertised sailing for the first four weekends of the year - the motor paddle vessel eventually returned to service and operated her delayed first 2023 outing covering the Geneva based Lunch sailing to Nyon followed by two short cruises in the "Petit Lac" on Sunday 22nd January | |
| 25th December 2022 | Last sailings of the season Operated Christmas Day sailings 330-331-738-740, but failed on arrival back at Geneva and was taken out of service | |
| 18th December 2022 | Following her annual overhaul she returned to service and took over the Geneva based Lunch sailing to Nyon followed by two short cruises in the "Petit Lac" on Sunday 18th December | |
| 21st October 2022 | Operated the a first winter Friday evening Fondue cruise from Lausanne and Morges on Friday 21st October | |
| 16th August 2022 | Broke
down at Lausanne before her
first
sailing of the day on
Tuesday 16th August and her sailings had to be
covered by
mv Henry-Dunant She returned to service on Friday 2nd September | |
| 22nd May 2022 | Took part in the annual pre-season naval parade off-Montreux on Sunday 22nd May | |
| In the end (due to sister
MPV Vevey remaining
in dock much longer than originally expected) she remained at Geneva until
Sunday
10th April afterwhich she took over the "new" daily
Lausanne to the "Upper Lake" roster
(which incorporates the former daytime Le Bouveret based
"Circle cruises") commencing on
Good
Friday 15th April This "new" roster continued in the same times throughout the 2022 Spring, Summer and Autumn timetable periods | ||
| 14th February 2022 | Operated a special evening non-landing Valentines Dinner Cruise from Geneva on Monday 14th February | |
| 13th January 2022 | Operated a special evening non-landing Russian New Year Dinner Cruise from Geneva on Thursday 13th January | |
| 9th January 2022 | After her Le Bouveret based Upper Lake sailings on
Sunday 9th January,
she move to Geneva and covered the
Friday and Sunday timetabled sailings to enable the winter
overhaul of her sister MPV Vevey to
take place This arrangement will continue until PS Rhône enters timetabled service following her major re-build - latest target March or April | |
| 12th December 2021 | Took over the winter Sunday Upper Lake Circle cruise sailings
vice a smaller motor vessel on
Sunday
12th December This was the first time a motor paddle vessel has been based at Le Bouveret in the winter since your webmaster started this website - late last century !!! | |
| 9th December 2021 | Following her winter overhaul, she returned to service
and operated the first of a series of Advent 'one-way'
early-evening Dinner
Cruises from Lausanne to Montreux for the Christmas market commencing on
Friday 9th December She remained moored at the pier for four hours to allow other visitors to the market to go on board and have a meal | |
| 24th October 2021 | Last sailings of the Summer/Autumn season After repairs she continued her regular Upper Lake Circle Cruises throught the Summer and Autumn periods until the last day if the season on Sunday 24th October | |
| 7th July 2021 | Broke down again with further technical problems on
Wednesday
7th July at Montreux whilst operating
sailing 508 from Vevey resulting in her remaining sailings that day having
to be cancelled mv Henry-Dunant - which had been covering the brokendown PS Montreux on the Wednesday - took over from first thing on Thursday 8th July for what was initially expected to be just a few days However with delays to the repair of the MPV taking considerably longer, the CGN announced She eventually returned to service on Friday 13th August after a long wait for spare parts | |
| 13th June 2021 |
Broke down at Le Bouveret with technical problems on
Sunday 13th June
which resulted in her
sailing 501 having to be cancelled befor sister MPV Vevey was quickly dispatched from Ouchy dock to take over
her Upper Lake Circle Cruise sailings from 1005 She returned to service on Friday 18th June | |
| 18th April 2021 | First actual sailings of the season Operated the spring Le Bouveret based Upper Lake Circle Cruises commencing Sunday 18th April | |
| 2nd April 2021 | Originally planned to take over the Geneva based winter sailings from sister MPV Vevey on Good Friday 2nd April and operate an additional Lunch Cruise to Nyon and back, but these were cancelled due to the further Coronavirus precautions | |
| 10th November 2020 | With no sign of any easement in the Coronavirus precautions,
MPV Vevey arrived 'light'
from Ouchy and yet again took over her roster - albeit only "on standby" for at
least several weeks She then returned ' light' to Ouchy harbour from where she was expected to cover the winter Sunday ' Tourist Sailings' to Evian-les-Bains and | |
| 1st November 2020 | Last sailing of her very short season Operated the first of the weekly Geneva based Sunday lunch-time sailings 330-331 to Nyon on Sunday 1st November but this turned out to be the only one as further Coronavirus precautions resulted in all "tourist" sailings on the lake being again cancelledsusprto operate the winter Friday and Sunday winter services before being relieved in the middle of November yet again by sister MPV Vevey | |
| 30th October 2020 | Originally planned to operate the winter evening Fondue Cruise from Geneva on Friday 30th October, but this was suspended as the CGN were in the process of changing over the catering supplier | |
| 3rd October 2020 | First sailing of her much delayed season Operated the 1015 autumn weekend sailings 102-105 from Geneva to Lausanne and back commencing Saturday 3rd October vice the regular motor vessel | |
| 10th April 2020 | Originally planned to operate the spring Upper Lake roster commencing Good Friday 10th April, but owing the the non-completion of repairs following her breakdown in 2019 (see also below) her roster had to be re-allocated to sister MPV Vevey As it turned out, the Coronavirus precautions prevented any 'Tourist' sailings operating over the Easter period and that situation continued until the start of June | |
| 5th August 2019 | Last sailings of the 2019 season Broke down at Montreux due to problems with her starboard paddle wheel towards the end of her sailing 509 on Monday 5th August After returning light to Ouchy Dock, shw was immediately withdrawn from service for the rest of the season pending major repairs | |
| 19th May 2019 | Took part in the annual pre-season naval parade off-Rolle on Sunday 19th May | |
| 14th April 2019 | Moved to Le Bouveret and took over the seasonal Upper Lake roster commencing Sunday 14th April | |
| 8th April 2019 | Owing to the breakdown of mv Général-Guisan moved to Lausanne to cover the Thonon-les-Bains ferry sailing for three days commencing Monday 8th April | |
| 14th February 2019 | Operated a special Valentines Day evening Dinner cruise from Geneva on Thursday 14th February | |
| 13th January 2019 | Moved to Geneva and covered the Sunday and Friday Little Lake sailings from Geneva commencing Sunday 13th January | |
| 31st December 2018 | Operated a special New Year's Eve Dinner Cruise from Lausanne on Monday 31st December | |
| 25th December 2018 | First sailing of the extended 2019 season Returned to service and operated the Christmas Breakfast Cruise to Evian-les-Bains from Lausanne followed by the the Christmas Lunch Cruise to the Upper Lake on Christmas Day | |
| 21st October 2018 | Last sailing of the summer 2018 season She then remained based at Le Bouveret and operated the Summer and Autumn "Upper Lake" roster until the last day of the Autummn timetable | |
| 17th July 2018 | As a result of 'unknown'
technical problems,
she was planned to visit Ouchy dock on
Tuesday 17th July for just three days The problems were clerarly worse than anticipated as her stay was later extended to Wednesday 25th July before returning to her normal roster the following day | |
| 15th April 2018 | Moved to Le Bouvered and operated the spring and summer Upper Lake sailings commencing Sunday 17th April | |
| 14th February 2018 | Operated a special evening non-landing Valentines Dinner Cruise from Lausanne at 2015 on Wednesday 14th February | |
| 4th February 2018 | First sailing of the season Operated the Sunday Breakfast Cruise and the Upper Lake Lunch Cruise from Lausanne on Sunday 4th February | |
| 7th January 2018 | Last sailing of the extended 2017 season Operated the Lunch Cruise from Geneva to Nyon followed by two short cruises in the Little Lake on Sunday 7th January | |
| 1st January 2018 | Operated an additional Lunch Cruise from the geneva to Nyon on Monday 1st January 2018 | |
| 31st December 2017 | Operatd a special New Year's Eve Dinner Cruise from the Geneva on Sunday 31st December 2017 | |
| 27th October 2017 | Moved to Geneva for the winter period (Sunday lunch cruises and Friday evening Fondoe cruises | |
| 18th June 2017 | Spent the peak-summer based at Lausanne operating the daily return
service to/from Geneva She was "spare" during the early and late-summer periods, but during both periods relieved sister MPV Vevey for a short time whilst she had her routine maintenance | |
| 21st May 2017 | Took part in the annual pre-season naval parade off-Cully on Sunday 21st May | |
| 14th February 2017 | Operated a special evening non-landing Valentines Dinner Cruise from Geneva at 2015 on Tuesday 14th February | |
| 15th January 2017 | Moved to Geneva and operated the winter Sunday Lunch cruise to Nyon on Sunday 15th January | |
| 31st December 2016 | Operated a special New Year's Eve Dinner Cruise from Vevey and the other main Upper Lake piers | |
| 25th December 2016 | Operated her first timetabled sailings since her major re-build from Lausanne on Christmas Day - Sunday 25th December visiting both Evian-les-Bains on the cross-lake ferry run and later the Upper Lake by covering the weekly winter lunchtime Lunch Cruise Château-de-Chillon | |
| 24th November 2016 | Operate the first of several Thursday evening Italian Dinner Cruises from Lausanne on Thursday 24th November | |
| 11th November 2016 | Operated the first of three days of special Inauguration Cruises from Lausanne and Geneva on Friday 11th November - visiting all parts of the lake over the weekend | |
| 2015 | The motor paddle vessel entered Ouchy dry dock for a major re-build | |
| December 2014 | An official announcement has been made that sufficient funds have been raised to enable the motor paddle vessel to enter Ouchy dry dock in 2015 for a major re-build with a target of re-entering active service in 2016 | |
| 30th October 2008 | 100 Years Old in 2008 To mark her 100th Birthday year, a special evening Dinner Fundraising Cruise was operated by | |
| 4th December 2005 | Last sailings before
long-term Operated sailings 38-39-315-316 - 1230 Lausanne to Château-de-Chillon and return followed by 1545 Lausanne to Evian-les-Bains and return on Sunday 4th December Click here for a special 'photo feature' of her final day in service | |
| 6th November 2005 | Despite only being pre-planned to operate on
four Winter Sundays during the month, she
was also called upon no less than five times to rescue
mv Lausanne which was unable to sail due to
strong winds The motor paddle vessel covered the Evian-les-Bains ferry service on Thursday 17th November Friday 18th November Tuesday 22nd November Wednesday 23rd November and Thursday 24th November | |
| 30th October 2005 | Made her final visit to Geneva on
Sunday 30th October Click here for a picture of her approaching Nyon on her return sailing (together with pictures in the engineroom) - note the poor state of her port paddlebox | |
| 25th September 2005 | Operated the final full-length round-trip "Grand
Races" sailings 1-6 - | |
| 31st July 2005 | Operated an evening
fireworks cruise on
Sunday 31st July
from Le Bouveret and several other Upper Lake piers after the normal This was her final public 'special'sailing ever before the motor paddle vessel was "long-term" | |
| 26th June 2005 | As a result of a cylinder head problem on
Sunday 26th June
the motor paddle vessel again missed her regular sailing to Geneva
which was covered by the much smaller
See news page for further details of the remainder of the days altered workings including the motor paddle vessel later in the afternoon | |
| 4th June 2005 | As a result of a minor electrical problem first thing on
Saturday 4th June
the motor paddle vessel missed her regular sailing to Geneva which
was covered by the much smaller
mv Chablais Following very quick repairs, she unusually took over the Upper Lake 'circle' cruises which included rare Summer calls for her at | |
6th February 2005 |
First sailings of the
season Re-entered service on 6th February and took over the new winter Sundays only sailings She was the first paddle vessel on any of the Swiss or Italian lakes to enter service in 2005 after a winter | |
| 31st October 2004 | Last sailings of the
season Operated her regulat Autumn weekend By the end of the season, her Sulzer Diesel Engine had clocked up a massive 1,735,541 km, making her the only Swiss paddler to have exceeded 3,000,000 km in service | |
| 20th September 2004 | Operated an evening cruise from Lausanne depart 1805 on Monday 20th September combined with her final "Rhône Express" sailing of 2004 from Geneva | |
| 24th April 2004 | The motor paddle vessel
broke down mid-morning on
Saturday 24th April after the usual 'breakfast-time' sailing Thereafter, whilst the motor paddle vessel retired to Ouchy dock for repairs both PS Rhône and MPV Italie returned to service on Thursday 29th April | |
| 4th April 2004 | The motor paddle vessel re-introduced the daily sailings from Lausanne to Geneva on Sunday 4th April after the first "new" spring weekend sailings 28-29 - 0820 Lausanne to Montreux and 0930 return | |
| 7th March 2004 | First sailings of the
2004 Summer season The motor paddle vessel re-entered service on Sunday 7th March and operated the regular winter Sundays only sailings 38-39 - 1230 Lausanne to | |
| 19th January 2004 | Last sailings of the 2003-04
season Operated the 1230 lunchtime Evian ferry sailings 309-310 on Monday 19th January vice mv Ville-de-Genève which had broken a front window in the gales on the previous Saturday morning, before retiring to Ouchy dock for her annual overhaul | |
| 18th January 2004 | Last advertised sailings of the 2003-04
season Operated sailings 38-39 - 1230 Lausanne to | |
| 9th November 2003 | Winter Sunday Afternoon
Sailings Operated the first of the Winter Sunday afternoon sailings 38-39 from Lausanne to (see also photo feature) The paddle steamer is now planned to continue operating these sailings each Sunday into the start of 2004 | |
| 1st August 2003 | Swiss National Day Operated an evening fireworks cruise from the Upper Lake piers after the regular round-trip to Geneva on Friday 1st August | |
| 30th March 2003 | First sailings of the
2003 Summer season Re-entered service on Sunday 30th March commencing with the full-length sailing 43 - 0850 | |
| 5th January 2003 | Last sailings of the 2002-03
season Operated sailings 64-173 - 1230 Lausanne to | |
| 3rd November 2002 | Winter Sunday Afternoon
Sailings Opened the season of Winter Sunday afternoon sailings from Lausanne to | |
| 6th October 2002 | Sunday Brunch Cruises Operated the first of four weekly Sunday brunch cruises at 1230 from Lausanne on Sunday 6th October This year they were combined with sailing 64 instead of being operated independently by mv Lausanne | |
| 5th July 2002 | Evening Dance Cruises Operated the first of nine weekly Friday evening dance cruises round the Upper Lake on Friday 5th July | |
| 12th May 2002 | Naval Parade As a result of the popularity of the Naval Parade by the five steam driven paddle steamers, the motor paddle vessel was brought in to operate a relief 'parade' sailing from Lausanne on Sunday 12th May | |
| 26th March 2002 | First sailings of the
2002 Summer season Operated the Lausanne - Evian-les-Bains ferry sailings on Tuesday 26th March | |
| 17th February 2002 | Last sailings of the 2001-02
season Operated sailings 64-173 - 1230 Lausanne to St-Gingolph and 1547 return on Sunday 17th February | |
| 12th January 2002 | Winter Saturday Ferry
Sailings Operated the timetabled Lausanne - Evian-les-Bains ferry sailings on Saturdays from 12th to 26th January | |
| 9th December 2001 | Winter Sunday Afternoon
Sailings Operated the Sunday afternoon sailing from Lausanne to | |
| 3rd November 2001 | Winter Weekend Ferry
Sailings Operated the timetabled Lausanne - Evian-les-Bains ferry sailings on Saturdays and Sundays throughout November | |
| 1st August 2001 | On Wednesday 1st August operated a fireworks cruise from Le Bouveret to Lausanne after the normal timetabled sailings | |
| 14th July 2001 | On Saturday 14th
July operated a fireworks
cruise from | |
| 4th July 2001 | The first of a season of regular Evening Dance Cruises took place on Wednesday 4th July | |
| 14th January 2001 |
Regular winter sailings at last ! The motor paddle vessel operated the Sunday timetabled | |
| 15th November 2000 |
Last minute substitution Operated timetabled sailings 301-302-303-304-33-50-65-76-95-164-157-180-179-206-217-232 on Wednesday 15th November vice | |
| 1st August 2000 | On Tueday 1st August operated a fireworks cruise from Le Bouveret to Lausanne after the normal timetabled sailings | |
| 14th July 2000 | On Friday 14th July operated a fireworks cruise from Le Bouveret to Evian-les-Bains after the normal timetabled sailings | |
| 1st April 2000 | First public sailing of 2000 on Saturday 1st April 1030 Geneva to Yvoire | |
| 1958 | Returned to service with a new Sulzer Diesel Engine | |
| 1955 | Withdrawn from service at the end of the season and her steam engine removed after 1,317,647 km | |
16th May 2023
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(c)1999-2023
John B Bird
